The Thirteen Mystery
by Animechan123
Summary: The 13 mystery was a crime never fully solved. The year is AC197 Team Zero has been given a crime to solve. However most of these cluse left behind only rattle their brains and confuse them. Can they win? 1x2 hints of 3x4 5xoc side fic 2 a later fic
1. Chapter 1

**_The Thirteen Mystery

* * *

_****__****__****__****__****__****__**

The 13 mysteries was a mystery never fully solved. The year is A.C.197 a young group of Preventers agents are given a case to solve in a space of thirteen days. But can these Preventer agents stop this criminal before it's too late? Mostly 1x2 hint of 3x4 5xoc. This is a side fic to a fic I will hopefully post after my exams are done or during Easter... Don't hold your breath.

* * *

The sun shone down on the small city upon which the base of the Preventers stood. Quatre slowly walked in to the Preventer's building on the 1st of August A.C.197 only to find Sally waiting for him by the front desk. It was nine o'clock and Quatre had had very little sleep that night.

It was Quatre's first official day as a Preventer agent. Quatre had been offered many types of jobs in the Preventers ranging from field agent to a communicator. However due to him being the leader of multimillion dollar Pacifist Company Lady Une found it unwise to have the young CEO as a field agent. Lady Une had assigned him to team Zero, who needed an extra man who could do multiple jobs. Quatre had also become the political speaker for the Preventers. Of course it was known by the world that Quatre was not a die heat pacifist as his father and Relena had been. Quatre had been glad to be offered the job however he was a bit hesitant at all the extra work he would need to do along with running a company.

Quatre stopped in front of Sally and gave one of his gorgeous smiles. They both exchanged hellos before going to the wing in which held team Zero. Quatre had hoped that at least one of the Gundam Pilots was there. Preferably Duo or Trowa; he always worked best with them. Sally didn't say anything to the young teen as she brought him to a dark mahogany door upon which he presumed held team Zero. Sally nodded before leaving him in the deserted corridor on his own. Quatre sighed before knocking on the door and heard a muffled 'come in'. Quatre pushed the door open. He was surprised at the sight he saw.

There in the room held all the other Gundam Pilots. He had not seen any in over half a year. Not since they had found Duo's sister. Quatre glanced over all of his friends as they looked up to see who had disturbed them. Duo had only gone and placed a wide grin on his face before running over to blonde embracing him like he usually did. Wufei and Trowa had both given very small smiles that could have been accepted as smirks and Heero just stood there as his usual emotional self. Quatre chuckled as Duo started to bombard him with questions which he could not answer without having to shut Duo up first.

Quatre however did not miss that including him there were six in the room. In the far corner of the room behind Wufei sat a Preventer agent. She was fully clad in the smart clean uniform. A skirt, shirt and tie neatly kept. Her legs clad in boots as they showed off her pale skin. Her long chestnut hair pulled back into a ponytail yet still cascaded over one shoulder and over her folded arms. Her violate eyes shone in the rooms low light. Her lips curved into a smile and parted showing pearl white teeth. That was no one but the mysterious and beautiful Faith Maxwell. She stood up and knocked Duo out of the way shutting up and flinging herself into Quatre's arms.

Over the time Quatre had known Faith he had grown to act like an older brother to her; and she a sister to him. She was the spitting image of her brother but their personalities and talents were nothing alike. Quatre had grown fond of the young thief and had kept in contact with her, even if he hadn't with the others who he had known longer. She released Quatre and looked at how smartly dressed Quatre looked in his uniform.

Quatre then noticed at how every single Gundam Pilot had a different shirt on. Wufei wore a blue shirt under his Preventers jacket which reminded Quatre of the one Wufei wore during the war. Heero did not have his jacket on and was showing off his muscles and chest in a plain white shirt. Duo and Trowa both fashionably wore the Preventer shirts; however unlike Duo and Faith Trowa did not wear a tie. His top shirt buttons were undone showing off his perfectly tanned skin. Quatre then turned his attention to the hot pink shirt that stayed hidden under his Preventers jacket.

'Maybe wearing pink wasn't the best idea.' [1]He thought as he smiled at the young girl in front of him. Apart from Quatre and Wufei all the Gundam pilots were now 17 while Faith was only 15 soon to be turning 16. Faith shut the door behind Quatre and smiled at him sweetly before they all walked over to the table which all of the Gundam pilots had originally been around.

"So they put you on team Zero?" Duo asked Quatre placing an arm around Quatre's shoulders. "Pretty ironic name for our team, aye?" Duo let go of Quatre and hushed down as he saw that his boyfriend wanted to explain what their mission was.

"Three days ago the Preventer agents received a letter from a mysterious source stating that from August 1st he would start killing people. For everyday we don't catch them a civilian will die." Heero started to explain as he pulled out a copy of the letter from a file. "Forensics has told us that there is no DNA on the original apart from the person who found it." Quatre, Trowa and Faith leaned on the table to get a better look at the document in question. The writing was scruffy and looked as if it was written in a rush or by a child. A black pen had been used and there were splashes of ink dabbed on parts of the letter.

The letter was signed by someone who went by the name of MM. Quatre frowned as he saw the penmanship that the double letter was written in. It was so much fancier than the rest of the writing. As if someone else had written the letter and MM had signed it. Quatre reached out and looked closely at the piece of paper. Of course it was their first and only clue so far and knowing the Preventers and Heero they were already running tests on the document.

"But it's not the only clue." Heero stated as he pulled out another sheet of paper this time with a double italic M on it. Heero seemed to frown at the piece of paper as if it was supposed to be the simplest puzzle in the world and he could not figure it out. "All we can assume that this murderer is playing a game and leaving clues around for us to find." Heero pointed to the letters on the sheet. "We believe that he goes by the name of M."

Quatre frowned at the piece of paper as he saw had writing underneath saying _'clue found with writing on the back. It said By MM.'_ Quatre assumed that it was written by the Preventer that copied the original for them. It was all very well but if 'By MM' was the signature of the killer... Why write MM on the other side?! Was it a real clue? Maybe more than an identity? Quatre didn't know what to think. He still knew very little about the case.

Quatre turned to his left to see Faith looking at Wufei. Quatre had known for a while that Faith had feelings for Wufei but was now really the time for her to be gawking at the guy she appeared to love?! Quatre then looked to see worry in Faith's eye's as if she was worried and knew something was going to happen! Quatre wouldn't press the girl on what she thought, at least not in front of the others. Otherwise both would get embarrassed when everyone heard them.

Wufei crossed his arms. "Dishonourable!" He commented. "Playing games with people's lives is unforgivable!" Quatre had to agree with Wufei on this one. You shouldn't toy with people's lives. Each person was special with their own beauty and talents that made them who they were. No one should think they have the right to go around playing God saying who should die. Quatre bet himself that the people who would die were innocent and had done nothing worth of death. However Quatre hopped that no one would die before they solved this crime.

"Unfortunately we were too late to the first victim." Heero sighed. Heero took out an address and a picture of a young man. He couldn't have been more than thirty with black hair and sapphire blue eyes that seemed to sparkle as he smiled happily in the photo. The address was 1 Mountain Moor Street. "And this is our first destination, so let's go."

* * *

'_Mountain Moor Street was the only place in this entire town to begin with a double letter; MM. Every other street and district began with different letters or where only one word long.'_ Quatre realised this as he watched a sign saying the streets name rush past him.

Quatre sat in the passenger seat of the car. Trowa sat in the driver's seat looking in the rear view mirror at Faith who was looking over the profile on the person who had died. She had been reading it ever so quietly over and over. Trowa had counted her reading each page at least twice on the 15 minute drive to Mountain Moor. Trowa could guess why it was called Mountain Moor. The street was on a tall mountain called Moor that was just outside of town. Trowa's eyes glanced at the area that was secluded away from the public. Many adults and teenagers were talking and being nosy around the area that was restricted to police and Preventers only. Trowa still couldn't see why Une had given them such a basic mission. But he had to do as he was told.

Trowa pulled the car into the curb and pulled the hand break on. Trowa noticed the look of fear and hurt on Quatre's face as he stared into the crowed. Trowa felt sorry for the young blond. He didn't need to see these things. Having empathy was one thing. But having no control over whose feelings you felt was not something a guy like Quatre needed. Trowa looked over his shoulder at Faith who looked on edge about going into the crowd. She sighed before opening the car door and getting out. Trowa saw how Quatre wasn't going to move anytime soon without being coaxed into it. Trowa placed a reassuring hand on Quatre's shoulder. Quatre turned to look at Trowa with a half hearted smile. Trowa nodded his head before letting his hand slip off Quatre's shoulder as he got out of the car.

Trowa walked over to the house with Quatre following him like a lost puppy. Faith stayed close to her brother who had ridden in the other car with Heero and Wufei. Now that all of team Zero were together once again they could finally enter the secluded area.

* * *

Quatre sighed as they walked into the house. It looked like an average house with nothing special about it. Quatre turned to Faith who held the folder under her arm. Quatre walked over to Faith who stood by a mirror with a flower pot in front of it. Quatre found it strange to put a pot with a fern in it in front of a body length mirror. Quatre looked up to see Faith frowning at the pot as well. Obviously she was just as disapproving as I was.

"So what does the file say?" Quatre asked as Faith turned towards him. With a swift and flowing movement Faith pulled out the folder from under her arm and opened it directly on to the profile page of the victim. Quatre watched as her violate eyes scanned over the document seeking out important facts that Quatre would need to know.

"Ally Archer. Age 28. Occupation builder. Family died in the war. Time of death 1 AM this morning, roughly." She started to tell Quatre the fact. Quatre found it easy to understand and relay them as evidence and link why he could have been murdered. So far retribution for what happened during the war seemed to come to mind. "He's clear and has committed no crimes. There's nothing strange about him apart from the way he was murdered." She frowned as she read over that part a few more timed before she looked up into Quatre's ocean blue eyes.

"The way he was killed?!" Asked Quatre as he was handed the file. Obviously he was confused by what the girl had told him. Faith kept the frown on her face however fear and disgust was clearly shown in her eyes. She nodded and she clenched her hands into fists. Her already pale skin seemed to become paler. She sighed.

"He drowned." She stated causing Quatre's head to shoot up from looking over the papers on the man in question. Quatre's frown only matched hers. "The autopsy showed that there was at least a litter of water in his lungs. Plus he was cut." Faith shuddered at that part and wrapped her arms around herself. Faith averted her eyes from Quatre's and looked at the floor. Obviously it was difficult for her to say this. "He was found on his front with no shirt on. Over his chest and stomach was one thing..." Quatre could see the fear in her eyes growing as the frown left her face and was replaced with an emotionless mask Quatre had seen on Trowa and Heero many times. "13... The number 13 was engraved on his chest..." Quatre could see Faith turn paler by the second.

Quatre looked down at the file and flipped to the back of the file where he saw three pictures. One that appeared to be a bedroom as you walked through the door. Another was of a pale body still dripping wet causing the carpet upon which he rested to be damp as well. Upon his chest was the engraved 13 with blood that had mixed in with the water dripping over the body. The three on the 13 was not curved like you would usually see it. It was straight, as if it had been impossible to curve the blade that had obviously been used to engrave it. Also the 1 looked too long for the 3 to be there, as if maybe they were separate numbers. Quatre felt his breakfast threatening to show everyone what it was. Quatre quickly turned to the final photo of Ally Archer's bedroom with the corps removed. There were still blood stains on the midnight blue carpet which made it look like it had black spots.

Quatre closed the folder unable to look at it anymore and handed it back to Faith who hesitantly accepted it. Quatre couldn't understand how the girl had looked through the file and at the picture several times and not feel queasy. He had only looked at it once and hopped he'd never have to look at it again. Quatre had to admit that the profile picture had shown a handsome young man however the picture in the back of the file did nothing to show how handsome he truly was.

"Are you two okay?" Quatre looked to see that Duo had asked the question. He looked at them as if they had just seen a ghost near them. However with how pale Faith and Quatre had become they could have past for ghosts. Duo walked up to them and took the file away from them. "Maybe it's best if one of us holds on to this." Duo said referring to the rest of them. Faith and Quatre didn't respond to the suggestion.

"Forensics show no sign of forced entry and he wasn't found until easy this morning." Trowa explained as he stood up from being crouched by the front door.

Quatre and Faith remained silent as they all climbed the stairs to the 1st floor. Quatre had noticed outside that it was only two levels to the house just like all the others apart from one house right on the other end of the street. Heero opened the only room door that was closed. What they saw didn't strike them as usual. But it wasn't the sight that showed them that a murder had been committed. It was the smell. The smell of dried blood circled the room. The idea of leaving the room door open was a good idea unless one of them had six gas masks on them.

They all slowly entered the room, all on their guard in case there was a trap or the murderer was lurking anywhere around them. Of course it was impossible, but nothing seemed impossible when the Gundam Pilots were around. Quatre and Duo slowly walked over to the wooden desk on the far side of the room and there he saw a stack of cards resting neatly in a pile by a closed laptop. Duo frowned as he held up a card and showed it to himself and Quatre. They both frowned as they saw the card.

"What the hell is _Le Bateleur_?!" Asked Duo as he placed the card on the desk. Heero and Trowa stopped looking around by the bed and walked over to the desk to look at the strange card that Duo had placed face up on the desk. Each boy frowned trying to find meaning in what the card meant. It looked like a normal playing card with a strange design imprinted on it.

"It's called a Tarot card." Faith stated from where she stood over by the door.

"Specifically that is the Juggler card." Next to her stood Wufei leaning on the wall next to the door, his arms folded across his chest.

She looked towards Wufei and then back at the other four boys. "The tarot has four suits corresponding to the suits of conventional playing cards. Each of these suits has pip cards numbering from ace to ten and four face cards for a total of fourteen cards. In addition, the tarot is distinguished by a separate 21-card trump suit and a single card known as the Fool. Depending on the game, the Fool may act as the top trump or may be played to avoid following suit." She explained and walked over to the desk with Wufei she pushed over to the desk. Faith started to flip over the cards and separate them. She did it without even thinking. Some of the boys wondered if maybe separating Tarot cards was second nature to Faith. After she was done they saw that the cards were separated into two piles. One pile had roughly 13 cards while the other pile had the rest. Once she was done she took a step back and placed her had on the pile of about 13 cards. She turned to face the entire boy before she explained. "These cards are named 'Death'. There are 13 cards in all." [2]

Wufei kept his arms folded over his chest. "I didn't think these things were still around these days." Wufei thought his mind. He pointed to the writing on one of the cards. "In English speaking countries they are much unknown but are still quite popular in Europe. Some people trace Tarot cards back to Ancient Egypt or the Kabbalah, but there's no evidence of that."

Duo raised an eye brow and crossed his arms. "You two seem to know a lot about these Tarot cards... Is there something you're not telling us?!" Faith could hear the teasing tone in Duo's voice but was still slightly insulted that he would even joke about that; especially at a time like this.

Faith crossed her arms and walked up to her brother imitating him. "Why would I brother?" She asked. "This is not the time and place for jokes." She stated staring to sound like an adult telling a child off for doing something wrong. "Look there happens to be a woman called Bethany Baker who lives on the other side of town. She's an expert at bored games and cards. If anyone can give us information on these cards it's her." She stated lowering her arms. "I went into the shop about a week ago and saw a pack there and enquired about them. That's what got me freaked out the other night when I was on the computer Duo."

Duo remembered the way his sister had to sleep with him for the next few nights due to the fact that she had freaked herself out when she was researching something on the internet. Duo never asked or even bothered to check what it was that scared his sister. Duo looked down upon the girl again and saw her almost glaring at the cards. As if she was Heero and she was trying to stare down an enemy. Duo knew how scary Heero's glare was but Faith looked innocent yet very mature at the same time the way she glared at the cards. Yet there was some regret in her eyes. As if she regretted touching something as disgusting as those cards. Duo unfolded his arms and gave his little sister a hug holding her as close to his body as he could; as if something was going to grab her if he let go.

Even thought Quatre had listened to everything that was being said he couldn't stop thinking about those cards. Thinking that they might be a clue Quatre tried to think how they were maybe involved with the markings on Ally Archer's chest. There had to be some link but what. '_Faith said there are roughly 14 cards in a deck. Also she said that they were 21-card trump suit and a single card known as the Fool. That's 36 cards. How on earth do these connect?! They must have something in common..."_ Quatre closed his eyes as he pictured and replayed all the information he had been given today. _'August 1__st__ a mysterious note is shown to team Zero with a message that someone is going to get murdered. At 1 AM that day a 28 year old man named Ally Archer is drowned and stabbed. He wasn't found until later that day. Forensics shows no sign of forced entry or any DNA that didn't belong to Ally Archer. Ally Archer was found with scars on his chest and stomach showing the number 13 engraved in to him..."_ Quatre's eyes shot open. _"That's it!!!!! The answer is 13!"_

Quatre walked over to Heero who had the folder and snatched it from Heero's arms. Heero seemed startled by the young blonde's actions. Duo released his little sister and watched as his "brother he never had" placed the folder on the desk in between the two decks of cards. Trowa and Wufei glanced at each other to see if either knew where Quatre was going with his actions. Faith watched closely at Quatre's every move. She wondered if Quatre had noticed something that everyone else did not.

Quatre opened the folder and pulled out the three photos at and closed the folder. Quatre had to hold back the idea of chucking up his breakfast as he laid the photos out for everyone to see. The smell of the room wasn't helping out either. Quatre compared the first room photo with the corps of Ally Archer in to the final picture of just the room. "Just as I thought... Looks like the criminal always returns to the scene of the crime." The other Gundam pilots watched as the young blond set out the photos and talked to him not understanding what was going on.

Faith walked up to Quatre and places a comforting hand on Quatre's shoulder. "What is it?" She asked so innocently it almost made Quatre look like a Devil. "Have you found something?" Quatre stood up straight from leaning over the desk and turned to Faith with a large grin on his face. Faith had only known Quatre a little while and had no idea that that grin meant Quatre knew something that everyone else didn't. All the other Gundam Pilots turned to each other and nodded before closing in on the girl and blond listening to what he had to say.

"Faith you are amazing, do you know that?" Quatre asked praising the girl for the idea she had given him. Faith blushed at the complement she was given. Duo smiled as he saw his sister's reaction.

"I know she's cute Quatre but there's no way am I letting you be with her." Duo joked and chuckled. "Now come on what's the idea?"

Quatre turned and pointed to the pile of death cards on the desk. "There are 13 Death cards in Tarot deck?" Quatre asked receiving several nods. He then pointed to the picture of Ally Archer on his back. He pointed to the 13 that was on Archer's chest. "The number 13 was engraved into his chest and stomach." Quatre then turned to the first picture of the room with Archer's body still in it. He pointed to the desk. "See?" He stated. "What's on the desk?"

All the boys and Faith leaned in to see only a laptop resting on the desk. "A laptop..." Stated Trowa, still not seeing where the blond was going with this.

Quatre shook his head and spoke again. "Remember when we came in here? The deck of cards was leaning on the desk neatly in a pile." He then pointed to the third picture showing the room after the body was removed from the room. "Look the cards aren't there either." Quatre stated. Once again everyone else leaned closer into the young boy. He was right. The meant that someone had placed the deck there after the photo was taken. "But there's also another two clues."

All four boys looked at each other absolutely confused on what the blonde meant by that. Faith however was looking at the second picture – the one of Ally Archer – and was turning her head sideways as if she thought she was looking at the picture the wrong way around. The photographs of the room were both landscape. However the photo of the body on the floor was portrait. She couldn't believe she hadn't noticed that before.

"I think I get it Quatre." She whispered. Even though she whispered it the others still heard her because they were that close. She took the second photo and placed it landscape. She then traced her finger over the shape the lines made. "M..." she whispered again, only this time only Quatre was sure of what she said.

Quatre nodded. "That's right." Quatre said and saw that the other pilots were confused. "Look put 13 on its side and the three looks like an M." He stated and then moved his finger to the 1 and traced it. "But if you look at the one it looks like a line that you put under an important word of a title."

"And our killer is MM." Heero stated as he stood up tall. Quatre nodded as he saw Heero reach for the photo and placed it in a portrait position. "However if you look at it this way," he said and trace his finger over the 13. "It looks like a capital B."

Quatre nodded and turned to Heero. "What if MM has more than one victim?" He asked curiously. "Maybe their names begin with M or B?"

It was Wufei's turn to speak up. "However for all we know it's a coincidence. And maybe the link isn't in the number 13 but on a card in a Tarot deck." Wufei made a valid point. It was only a coincidence that Quatre had known that and also at the face that it looked like two capital letters.

"Even if we did know the answer to what it meant we still don't know if it means M or B." Trowa stated as he looked at Quatre. "And besides there are too many people in this town with names that begin with B or M."

"If it was a different letter like your name Quatre it would be so much easier to find these people." Duo started to explain as he looked away from the picture that started to make him feel ill. "I mean come on how many people have we meat with a name beginning with Q?"

Quatre had to admit they were making good points but at the moment Faith and Heero seemed to be the only ones on his side. He would admit that he was only speculation but finding that out wasn't that easy, and he did have to relay it out for the Gundam pilots. To be honest Quatre had expected Heero to find that before him. However Heero was the one who most likely spotted the B first and not he. Faith seemed to understand Quatre's line of thought and was willing to go along with his idea. Also the fact that both pictures have no sign of the Tarot deck being on the desk; even when they first entered the room the first thing they saw was the desk but with all the supernatural stuff what was in the room in was no wonder the deck was over looked.

"I still think I should go and talk to Bethany Baker tomorrow to ask her if anyone has ever bought a deck of Tarot cards recently from her." Faith said as she turned to Quatre. "She might have some good information." Faith then took out her phone and started to take pictures of the cards, so she could show Bethany tomorrow.

"Why don't you go today?" Asked Wufei inquiring why the girl would not go today even though it was only a little after mid day.

Faith turned towards Wufei with an annoyed look on her face. "Because it's Sunday..." She stated. "Most shops don't open on Sunday in this area... Are you really that oblivious?" Duo and Quatre had to cough to cover their laughter at how embarrassing Faith had just made Wufei look.

"Maybe a few of us should go with Faith tomorrow to talk to Mrs. Baker." Heero explained.

"Miss..." Faith corrected Heero. Faith looked at the floor. "Her husband died three years ago in the war."

Everyone agreed. Tomorrow Faith, Trowa and Heero would head over to Miss Baker's shop to see what they could find while Quatre, Duo and Wufei stayed at the Preventers to see what they could dig up from the forensics and any more from the autopsy. They all thought they could crack this case before the next kill could take place. However what they would find out tomorrow would put them under more pressure, defuse their hopes and sicken them to their core. For on August 2nd A.C.197 things would not go according to plan for Preventer Team Zero.

* * *

_[1] = Taken from a picture of the Gundam Pilots. It's the one where everyone is usually wondering where Heero's hand is... If you look close enough you could kind of say the same thing about Trowa._

_[2] = If I have gotten any information about the Tarot Cards wrong I am very sorry and could you please message me or comment to tell me so I can say it in the next chapter._

_There was quite a bit of talking for the first chapter and I'm sorry but I had to put this information down for you. There are a few clues in there for later chapters. I'll be impressed if you guys figure out what they are quickly._

_Please comment. Arigato xxxxx_


	2. Chapter 2

**_The Thirteen Mystery

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-August 1st, AC 197-

-Preventer Agent Faith Maxwell-

I was taught three rules growing up:

1) Empathy is to see with the eyes of another, to hear with the ears of another and to feel with the heart of another.

2) Of all the liars in the world, sometimes the worst are your own fears.

3) Courage faces fear and thereby masters it. Cowardice represses fear and is thereby mastered by it.

I never thought I would use these things in my life or see them. Today we found a body dead on the floor in 1 Mountain Moor. My worse fear was seeing someone being disfigured without any cause for it. The war may have stopped but the need to hurt people seems to have stayed. The mission has caused me to feel uneasy, that I maybe the next victim but I fear that I am safe for now. What should I do if I face the killer? It doesn't seem to be the right time to tell anyone. B of M, which is it? We need to find the next victim before it's too late.

When we returned home from Mountain Moor I discovered a package addressed to me from a shop down the road. The woman – Bethany Baker – sent it to me after I enquired about the content of the box. I opened the box to see a stack of Tarot cards lying there. But the strange thing was when I turned the first card over there I saw a picture of a man under water drowning. I couldn't believe it. The same image as the first death in this crime – prey that it's the last; does this mean anything? I'm not the same as the rest of Team Zero, I actually wonder if there is something mystic going on here. I wonder… Could there actually be something more to this case than meets the eye?

Quatre Raberba Winner – the newest member of the team – is worn out after the mission. I guess Empathy takes more out of people than meets the eye. Empathy is when you can feel others emotions. Dealing with your own is hard enough, but Quatre deals with everyone around him. Poor thing shouldn't need to go through this. I honestly hope we can stop this crime before it's too late. More innocent people shouldn't need to lose their lives because of a maniac who thinks he can play God with people's lives.

-Entry Ended-

* * *

"Faith!"

Faith swung around on her chair and saw Wufei sanding in the door way. She gave a small smile over to him. "Hi..." She said softly as she turned back to save the document on her computer. She then swirled on her chair over to the arm chair just to the right of where Quatre was napping on the couch. Wufei seemed to glance at Quatre with a hint of worry and then look straight back at Faith as if nothing was wrong. Duo had explained that all the boys were like brothers too each other and they cared for each other. Duo had told Faith that they all worried about Quatre because he always over worked himself or got hurt easiest out of them all. And after being scared by Dorothy Catalonia, none of the Gundam Pilots let the boy fence without one of them there.

"It's been a while since we all stayed under one roof." Faith said as she watched Quatre sleep. "Is there something you wanted?"

Wufei just kept staring at the girl. After all this time he still couldn't figure out the hyper-active, intelligent, athletic, religious girl who always put others before herself. She was a mystery rapped in beauty beyond belief. Wufei smirked as he watched the girl's eyes glaze over with care and love.

"You seemed worried earlier. As if you where frightened." Wufei watched as the girls eyes opened slightly wider and her head turned trying to deceive him of her surprise. "You sure you're okay?" She seemed to pause debating what to answer with. Faith was unlike Duo; she chose her words carefully unless she was in a foul mood, but you would never cross her anyway. She was sometimes bad enough to make Heero and Wufei cower in fear from the girl. She then nodded and gave one of her cheesy little grins, that Duo called her Jesters Mask – much like Duo's in Wufei's opinion.

"I'm fine, just the sight of the body I guess." She then giggled slightly. Wufei nodded before leaving the room. Wufei stopped in the door way and turned back to ask the girl something when he saw her sit on the floor next to Quatre with her arms as a pillow resting her head on the edge of the couch by Quatre's chest. Wufei forgot what he was going to say and left the room.

* * *

-August 2nd, 10:45 AM-

Faith, Heero and Trowa stepped out of the car and walked over to the small shop on the corner of the street. The small shop was full of fishing rods, dolls, board games, cards and many other items which would entice anyone to come and see what's inside. A large white sign hung over the door with large red letters saying 'Bethany's Hobbies Shop'. Faith frowned as she saw the dark shop window. Where were the lights that shone down on certain objects in the window?

"Faith?" Faith turned to see Heero looking at her. Faith's frown only made the two boys frown. Heero walked up to her knowing that something was wrong. Faith turned back to the window and thought she saw a shadow move. Faith then walked up to Trowa and pulled at his arm and looked at the watch. 10:46. the shop should have been opened at 10 o'clock. So why was it so quiet? What was going on? Faith suddenly got a chill down her spine as she watched a china doll in the window shop. Something about that china doll that had Faith confused. It was like the doll was watching her, its eyes gleamed slightly in the early morning light and sent another chill down her spine. Why did a DOLL give her a chill? Why the doll? What is it about that thing that makes her hesitate to go in? And what about that shadow? Could it be Bethany?

"Faith... Everything alright?" Trowa asked as he removed her arm from his grip. "You seem worried." Faith had learnt that keeping things from Heero and Trowa was difficult. Faith gave one of her small sweet loving smiles which no one could resist. She didn't want them to worry but she knew they already knew.

"I just feel a bit off." She also felt uneasy with Trowa almost glaring at her.

"So you felt it as well?" Trowa asked as he turned to look at the shop. Faith nodded.

"Yes..." She turned to Heero as she held the sleeve of her Preventers jacket as if to hold her back from running into the shop. None of them could deny that there was a sense of danger in the air. That feeling of tension when you're about to find out something you wish you hadn't. Faith knew that if she went in there she was going to regret it but she had to see. Heero walked forward leaving Faith and Trowa standing by the car. They looked at each other silently agreeing they had to go in before jumping to the wrong conclusion.

Heero held the cold door handle and turned it. It was open. The door creaked as a bell chimed. Heero pushed the door emitting light into the shop. Faith blinked a few times before she saw the sight that fell before her.

"B-B-Bethany..."

* * *

-15 North Street, 11:16 AM-

"Quatre you coming or what?"

Quatre folded his jacket over his arm. Quatre racked a hand through his hair and sighed. He should be use to getting up early. Quatre stood up from the couch and walked over to the desk grabbing the keys to the car. Quatre gave a quick glance over to the desk seeing Faith's computer, paper work, pen pot, and tarot cards. Quatre walked to the door and then turned back. He remembered Faith's shock when the first card she pulled from the deck was of a man drowning. That fear that something far beyond them was happening. Quatre walked back over to the desk. He shifted his keys to his other hand and reached out to grab the top card. The man drowning; just like it was left the night before. Quatre placed the card on the table away from the deck. Quatre then reached out and drew another card as if this would give him a clue to something. Quatre flipped the card over and let it land on top of the other card of an angle. He frowned as the picture he saw disturbed him slightly.

Duo walked into the room seeing what was taking the little blonde so long. Duo looked into the living room to see Quatre looking at the desk with his jacket ever so slightly dropping off his arm. Duo frowned. "Quatre, let's go!" When no reply or movement came from the blonde. Duo sighed and walked up to Quatre. Duo rested his hand on Quatre's shoulder causing the blonde to jump slightly and spin around almost ready to hurt someone. Duo held up his hands in surrender. "Whoa! Hold it Quat!" Duo called, reassuring the blond that there was no one around to hurt him. Quatre's guard dropped and he sighed with relief. Duo smiled at the boy yet was still worried. "What's gotten into you Quat?"

Quatre's eyes held worry yet fear at the same time. Quatre then lifted up a card to Duo. "This freaked me out." Duo took the card from the boy. Duo examined the back. It had a white out line and then a blue square inside the white. The blue was decorated with black swirls and lines that just seemed to hold a pattern to them. Duo then turned the card over and got a little gasp. There on the card was a woman hanging by a rope. Duo gulped as his free hand came around his neck. The thought of that happening to him rushed through his head. Duo shook his head and placed the card down on the desk on top of the other card. Duo shivered as the picture seemed to be lodged into his head.

"That was freaky," Duo stated. Quatre nodded in agreement. Suddenly the sound of footsteps sounded outside. Duo and Quatre turned to hear the front door slam open. Both saw a panting Wufei run in to the room. He gripped his cell in his hands as he panted.

"We... Got a problem," he panted. He stood up straight. "There's been another murder..." Both Duo and Quatre looked at each other before both rushing out after Wufei to the car.

* * *

-Bethany's Hobby Shop, 12:30PM-

Quatre jumped out of the car as he saw the street corner being blocked off. He ran over to the shop with Wufei and Duo at his heel. Outside the shop they saw Sally and Faith sitting on a bench. Faith was doubled over. Her face in her hands and her elbows resting on her lap. Her face was covered by her bangs and hands. Sally was rubbing Faith's back and asking different questions. Quatre could feel Faith feeling extremely ill from seeing something. _Was it the shape of the body? No couldn't be. She was fine yesterday_, thought Quatre. Quatre stopped and went over to Faith as Sally looked up. She smiled at the boys before standing up to greet them. She gave a small smile to the teenagers.

"What happened?" Duo asked looking up at Sally.

Sally sighed softly. "Bethany Baker is dead." She stated. All the boys gasped. "It would appear she's been dead since 2AM."

Duo's attention turned to his sister. From her face that he could see she looked pale... much paler than Quatre. Duo walked over to the girl and sat next to her. He placed an arm on his sister's shoulders. Instantly Faith's arm clung to her brother as soft sobs could be heard. Duo wrapped his other arm around the girl and started to coo her. She started to calm down but it wasn't enough for her to gain control of herself. Duo looked up at Sally.

"It would appear to be the work of the same person who killed Ally Archer." Sally explained to the boys. "But I warn you go in there at your own risk boys." She then started to walk off to the ambulance. "It's not a pretty sight." Quatre and Wufei looked at each other. Now there was something definitely wrong if Sally had given that warning. They both watched as the ambulance drove out of sight followed by Sally's car. Quatre then walked over to Faith and sat on the other side of her. Wufei stood in front of them.

"I'll go and check how Heero and Trowa are doing." Wufei walked over to the shop entrance showing his badge to the two men standing there. He then walked in out of sight.

Quatre turned back to Faith and placed a hand on her back Quatre jerked slightly as he felt all her emotions pour into him. That feeling of great shock. Of knowing someone and seeing them dead. That feeling of seeing someone you know and knowing you're never gonna see them again. That fear of someone stealing someone from you and thinking you will be next. Quatre shivered as Faith's thoughts of dyeing ran in his head. Quatre removed his hand from Faith and sighed. Now wasn't the time for him to be comforting her. He should be with the others solving the crime. Quatre stood up and nodded to Duo before walking in after Wufei.

Quatre walked into the dark shop noticing the many items ranging from fishing poles to jigsaw puzzles. The bell of the shop rang announcing he was there. Quatre saw his friends standing in the middle of the room by the counter. Just to the right of the counter was a door which Quatre thought lead to storage. Above the door hung a rope. If Quatre hadn't known any better he would have considered it to be suicide. Quatre turned to his friends and saw then discussing ways in which this could have happened.

"So she was hung?" Wufei asked folding his arms.

"Correct," Trowa stated.

Quatre gasped turning the others attention to him. The card this morning! The same thing... and yesterday with the drowning card... what was going on here? It had to be coincidence. No other way of explaining the events that was unfolding. Quatre felt his knees go from under him. Each agent rushed to the blonde to stop him from hitting the ground. Trowa reached Quatre first and held the blonde in his arms asking if the blonde was alright

"It's the same..." He was in a state of shock. His voice had gone dry and his mind blank. Only a few words slipped from his mouth. Trowa didn't understand what the blonde meant by it. It's the same... What on earth could that have meant? Wufei and Heero both looked at each other not understanding why this was happening. Not understanding what it meant.

"The Tarot card."

All three looked to the door. There stood Duo leaning against the door frame. When had the bell rung? Duo sighed and turned to the others folding his arms. The lights reflected in his violate eyes causing them to be sharpened yet bright. "This morning," he stated walking over to them. "Quatre and I looked at the tarot card deck." Trowa helped Quatre stand. "He's fine." Duo then looked back at the others. "The card was of a woman hanging... Sound familiar? There is something going on between that deck and these events."

"Duo its coincidence." Heero stated folding his arms and leaning on the desk. "There has got to be an explanation." Duo sighed as it seemed no one believed him. If he had been Quatre then it might have been accepted. Oh well, there was nothing he could do. "Quatre go outside and get some air."

Faith sat on the bench breathing in and out trying to get the images out of her head of the two bodies she had seen. Why where they haunting her so much? _Something doesn't seem right! These ways of killing... they must mean something. _Faith sighed as she thought of everything._ They can't just be someone trying to kill people to see the easiest way to kill no way. The hardest part of killing someone – is killing them._ Faith shook her head. _No they would have morals. They must do! Something's at work here. I just need to find out what!_ She was so wrapped up in her thought she didn't see the two Preventer agents walk up to her. She jumped as a cup of coffee was placed in front of her. Faith looked up at the two Preventers that stood there.

Misa and Marco Miro. They where brother and sister and had been in the Preventers since it started. Misa had caramel brown hair that shone in the suns light and reached below her shoulders. Her eyes where a hazel brown and could make anyone swooned for her. Her skin was tanned; clearly of Latin decent. Marco had dark brown eyes that almost looked black. His hair as a chestnut brown and cut short and spiked up with jell. The two were strange. Not in a bad way but in a cool kind of way. They had strange ideas and views on life. Faith loved talking to them. For the last few days they had been on vacation.

Misa giggled. "Sorry about that Faith," she smiled softly and sat next to the young girl. "We saw you here and thought you might need a coffee." Faith couldn't resist Misa's smile and thanked her for the coffee. Faith loved the warm feeling that came from the cup. She brought the cup up to her lips and let the warm liquid poor into her mouth. She sighed as she leaned back on the bench. She watched as Marco walked off without even saying a word to her. It was odd because he always wanted to talk to her.

Faith turned to Misa. "What's up with him?" She asked softly as the Latino sat next to her on the bench. Misa was actually an amazing agent and was so friendly to everyone. No one could resist talking to her, well maybe Heero, Wufei and Trowa could but that's a different thing all together. Misa giggled once again at the violate eyed girl.

"Hello!" She teased. "Earth to Faith! He still has that mega crush on you." She smiled sweetly at Faith. "He didn't stop talking about you all the way here. Faith this and Faith that. Oh and did you hear Faith is going to be there." Faith laughed at Misa imitating her brother. She seemed to be the complete opposite to her.

"Why doesn't he just ask me out?" Faith asked before taking another sip of her coffee. Misa gave Faith a surprised look.

"But you like Wufei!" She exclaimed. She then toned it down. "Aren't you two like...?" She didn't need to finish what she was saying for Faith to understand what it meant. Faith gave a small laugh.

"I wish," she sighed. "The only time he seems to notice me is when I'm fighting with him. But in the end he just gets up and leaves." She growled. "It's so annoying!" Faith sighed as she looked down at the dark liquid in her cup. "I just wish I knew how he felt." Misa sighed and hugged the violate eyed girl sitting next to her.

"You will sunshine," she spoke softly. "Now I have to go, so keep smiling and I'll see you soon." Misa then got up and started walking over to her brother while waving back to her friend. Faith smiled as she almost walked into a lamp before actually looking where she was going.

Faith chuckled and looked at the shop door. Out of it came Quatre. Why was he walking out of there? Quatre spotted Faith once again and walked over to her. He sighed as he sat down next to her. Faith watched him as his eyes seemed to be clouded over. What was wrong? Something seemed to disturb him but what? Quatre then turned to look at Faith but not into her eyes. It was strange usually Quatre had no problem looking her in the eyes. Quatre looked back at the Preventers and Police trying to hold the people back. Quatre then looked back at Faith.

"How you feeling?" He asked softly and weakly. It wasn't like him. Well he was soft and he was weak-ish but still... Faith looked back at the cup in her hands half full.

"Not bad now," she spoke watching her hands shake around the cup. "Just shook up."

"You're shaking," said Quatre as he placed his hand over one of Faiths.

Faith placed her coffee on the floor next to her. She then leant her head on his shoulder for comfort. Quatre smiled as he watched the young girl lean on him. She sighed and wrapped her arms around his arm to keep him close and to cuddle slightly. Quatre chuckled remembering how his sisters use to do that to him when he comforted them or when they just wanted to cuddle their baby brother after so long. Quatre couldn't help but gain his smile as he watched Faith rest on him

"I'll tell you one thing that shop is freaky..." Quatre trailed off for a little and looked up at the sky. He then looked back down as he said. "Those China dolls freak me out."

Faith's head rose suddenly and her grip on Quatre's arm loosened. Quatre looked at her. Her eyes were on the floor and she looked as if she was placing the pieces of their psychotic puzzle together. _China dolls..._ Thought Faith. _But... Bethany hates China dolls. She said they freaked her out too. That's why when I was looking for a China doll to help Misa out last month she didn't have one... But if she doesn't like them, and she doesn't sell them... why are they in the shop? Unless..._ Faith stood up immediately and started for the shop entrance. She pushed the door open and walked into help her friends figure this out.

Quatre watched as Faith sat up and released his arm. He looked at her showing her confusion, but she didn't noticed. Then a light seemed to go off and her eyes shined over with an idea. She stood up and walked over to the shop entrance. Quatre watched her until she was inside before following her in. The bell rang in his ears as he watched Faith search the room with her eyes. She turned to the left and then to the right and directly at the other Gundam pilots talking to each other. Faith listened to the other's talk.

"There were no markings on her body Duo," Heero stated. "That doesn't link the two cases." He folded his arms having triumphed over the braided American.

"But the letter did say that he would kill one person each day until we catch him," Trowa stated remembering the letter they had looked at the day before. Heero sighed, he was beat there.

"But there's no connection between the deceased." Wufei spoke as he walked back over to the others after checking the storage room. "Nothing but dyeing of lack of oxygen."

"Could that be the clue?" Duo asked as he looked at the small piece of rope that still hung from the ceiling.

Faith frowned at her brother's suggestion. Was it possible that Wufei's comment was a clue? No couldn't be. Faith looked to her left and walked over to the shelf that held four china dolls each one in different cloths and different styles. She frowned. She had the clue now what did they respond to? Faith turned to the back wall behind the counter. There were five dolls there. She then turned to her right and saw two dolls there. She then walked up to the two dolls on the head height shelf.

Quatre continued to watch her. She had first walked over to the dolls on the left wall and then to the ones on the right. Quatre frowned when Faith glared at the dolls. Quatre faintly heard her say something like "stupid China dolls," which only caused him to frown at her more. All of this curiosity with the dolls had started when he had mentioned how freaky the China dolls were. Wait! That was it. They represented something. Faith had figured it out.

"Yo Quatre," Duo called causing the blonde to look at the four ex-pilots. "What do you think?" Quatre didn't really know what to think about all this but obviously Faith had figured it out so far. Or at least some of it. Quatre looked at Faith who was slightly looking at him as if she was asking him to let her give her opinion.

"Faith?" He asked with a smile on his face. Faith smiled back at him and gave a small nod of thanks. Faith then turned to the other boys.

"One thing I've noticed in this shop is that everything is stacked neatly in piles that are not muddled up or split around the shop." She paused and smirked. "Apart from one item!" All of the others frowned at her. They had no idea what she was on about. "Isn't it strange that everything is in one pile yet the China dolls are in three separate places?" Faith pointed to each set of dolls around the room. Quatre smiled as he started to catch on that Faith knew something that they obviously didn't.

"So maybe it's the owner's style," Wufei said obviously annoyed and not seeing the mysterious glint in the girl's eyes. He folded his arms and leaned slightly on the counters edge.

She smirked once more. "But I know something you do not!" Faith commented standing in a way that said 'In-Your-Face' sort of way. Quatre laughed quietly. "You see I knew Bethany and none of you did." She then walked over to the set of three dolls on the opposite wall from where she once stood. She pointed at them, "Bethany hated China dolls and said she'd never sell them." She looked over her shoulder at Quatre. "You can thank Quatre later for the idea." She turned back to them. "So why would she sell them? Especially since Misa and I tried to buy one from here last month." Faith then turned and walked over to the shop window. "Trowa when we came here this morning do you remember what exactly was in the window?" Trowa felt like he had been put on the spot at this point and frowned recalling what he had seen before entering the shop.

"A couple of train toys, fishing polls, books, ball game supplies," Trowa listed everything he remembered. "And a creepy China doll was there too." Quatre smiled again, seemed none of them liked China dolls.

"Point where the doll was?" Faith asked of him sweetly yet she was still slightly smug about something.

Trowa unfolded his arms and walked over to the young girl. He glanced at her asking for some explanation but her smile only grew. Trowa turned from her and looked at the display in the window. Trowa reached out to point where the doll had been but suddenly stopped. Trowa's eyes widened slightly. There was an empty gap in the display where the doll had once stood. Trowa lowered his hand and turned to Faith now seeing that she had worked something out.

"It's not there," Trowa stated.

"Exactly!" Faith exclaimed. She placed her hands on her hip. "It seems to me that the criminal always returns to the scene of the crime. He left the clue here once more after everyone was done." She then took a step forward and frowned. "But I don't understand something... Why placed the four dolls on the left, five behind the counter and two on the right?" Quatre frowned himself as he pondered what that could mean. He had to admit he was impressed by everything she had done so far.

Wufei leaned back on the counted. He was impressed at how much Faith had deducted from just those dolls. Not bad for an Onna but she had come to a standstill. He admitted she had a point but it could be merely coincidence. He sighed and shifted his hands on the desk behind him so he could lean more comfortably on it. Something knocked his hand. Wufei looked over his shoulder and saw a compass on the table on top of a small map of the area they were in. Wufei frowned and turned around to inspect the map. He frowned as the compass stopped moving and faced the five dolls on the shelf behind it. Wufei followed the arrow on the map. When he reached the edge of the map he saw the number five sitting slightly to the right of the arrow. Wufei moved it so the arrow on the compass was in line with the five on the map. Could it be that the map and the dolls were linked together.

"Could they be coordinates?" Wufei thought out loud.

"What?" Duo asked standing next to Wufei. Duo looked at the map and failed to see the connection. However Quatre without seeing the map had gotten it and walked over to the map with the others. Seeing that the needle in the compass was pointing to a number five on the map caused Quatre to smile. _Wufei you are amazing,_ thought Quatre.

"Wufei's right." Quatre then pointed to the lines going through the map. His finger slid across the number five line. But still that was a lot of area. "But then we have the four and two dolls too." Quatre stated.

"Mind explaining Quatre?" Duo asked seeming to be completely lost.

"Wufei said the dolls were coordinates," Quatre pointed out. "And look the compass is pointing north as usual, but is also in line with the five dolls up there and the five on the map. So what if the dolls on the right and the left are the same thing only going across the map and not down." Quatre moved the compass of the map and then slid his fingers over the four and two line going across the map. Now the big problem there where two places where they intersected. So which one was it? Quatre sighed. Oh well so much for that idea.

* * *

-15 North Street, 17:00PM-

Trowa watched as Faith sat down on the couch with her legs bent with a note pad resting on her lap and a pen in her hand with the end being bitten. Trowa watched as every now and then she smiled before scribbling things down on the pad. She had been like that since she had gotten in and changed. She now wore her jean shorts and purple sleeveless t-shirt with her hair pulled back with a water fall effect with the ends. Last time Trowa checked Heero was in the study upstairs going over everything he knew so far and looked to see if there were any new leads. Trowa hoped they could find this freak soon so that no one else got hurt. Trowa looked at the clock on the wall. It would be another two hours before the others got back. There was no point in starting food now.

Trowa walked into the living room and sat on the chair next to the couch. Faith gave him a small glance before looking at her notes once again.

"What's for dinner?" Faith asked turning to Trowa with a smile.

"What do you want?" Trowa asked softly as he turned the news on.

Faith shrugged, "How about your amazing Spag Ball?" She asked sweetly with large eyes.

_Remember to kill Quatre for teaching her puppy dog eyes,_ thought Trowa. "Fine." He forfeited.

"Arigato Trowa-sama," Faith chirped. Trowa sighed at Faith's bad accent she however only giggled. Their attention suddenly got drawn to the TV where a reporter started talking.

"In other news America's leading Doctor Eric Edmands is on business in the area and will be arriving in the next few days," the reporter reported. "It is still unclear the reasons of his visit but he will be guarded all times by the Preventer Agents in the area. Now over to Jeremy Whetstone for more news."

"Hmm. Wonder who was put on that job," Faith sighed. "God help them I say. It must be a pain being famous. I bet Quatre can barely stand it." She then giggled and turned to him. "By the way, why on earth is everyone taking so long?" Trowa looked over towards her to see if he could find out if she had just blurted out that comment or was just a general discussion started.

"He told you that?" Trowa asked softly as he watched the girl nod. She smiled and looked away from the screen.

"Yeah we talk all the time Tro," she said softly. "He's like my best friend. I don't know what I'd do without him."

Quatre had never said anything like that to Trowa. Quatre never even looked like he was bothered by the media or by people just as famous as him. Every time Trowa had to protect Quatre to conference on meeting when they were back on the colony Quatre never once complained or said anything. The "blood suckers" as Duo liked to call them did very little to Quatre apart from sometimes ridicule him for never being seen out with anyone but friends.

* * *

-Wufei's Car 16:45PM-

Quatre sighed as he sat in the back seat of Wufei's car. He looked out the window at the people walking on the side of the road. The sun was setting and people were returning home just like Wufei, Duo and himself were doing. The information Sally had given them to do with the case wasn't much help to them at all but it may come in handy later.

_She dies 2AM this morning,_ Quatre thought. _Another early murder. It seems this person is a night lover; either that or getting what he wants in the dark is much easier than in the day... well that's common sense. But why now? And what could he possibly gain by doing all this? Is there some confusing and complicated reason to why he was doing this? Or is he just doing this for fun? Both ways it's not right and we will stop him no matter what!_

The car stopped at the red lights outside the local park. Quatre watched as a young boy and girl sat on the bench chatting and talking. Then he noticed a teenage girl not much younger than himself comnambulating [1]. Quatre laughed as people tried to dodge her as she walked past. He then frowned; all of these people are in danger unless they can stop him fast.

Quatre sighed as he looked out the window at the darkening sky. Once again they were faced with great danger and Quatre knew not what to do.

* * *

-15 North Street 17:00PM-

Finally the car reached the driveway of their house. It wasn't the biggest house in the world but it was large enough for four teenagers and a couple. Quatre smiled at their little house. He loved how it was cosy no matter what. It was homely and Quatre almost had a feel of family when he was in there. Slowly Quatre, Wufei and Duo walked into the house. As the door opened the three where wafted by the scent of something amazing. Quatre smiled as he recognised that scent anywhere. _Trowa's cooking obviously,_ Quatre thought.

Down the corridor there they could just about see the kitchen. Trowa was at the cooker stirring something around in a large pot full of what they could only guess was their supper. The sound of music echoed in their ears as Trowa turned the cooker off giving the food one last stir. Faith was busy getting something out of the fridge when something smashed. Quatre flinched when he heard the sound. He looked to see Faith with her hands over her mouth. Heero suddenly walked next to her looking at the floor in front of the fridge. Heero rubbed her back before asking something of her. He then grabbed a cloth handed to him by Trowa and bent down to do whatever it was had happened.

Quatre walked into the kitchen and there he saw what the fuss was about. Piece of glass lined the floor by the fridge. Heero was carefully picking up the pieces of glass and placing them in the cloth that Trowa had handed him. Faith was now helping Trowa serve up food like Heero had suggested she did. Quatre's attention turned to the table. The cutlery was set and drinks lined the empty table waiting to be drunk. Also there where cloths where the plates would be place once food was served on. Faith looked over her shoulder and smiled.

"Your back," she chirped.

"Food won't be long just sit down." Trowa explained as he placed food into a bowl that Faith held. As Quatre and the others sat at the table Faith started to place the full plates of spaghetti Balinese on the table. Once there was a plate for everyone Heero, Trowa and Faith joined them as they began their final meal of the day. They began to talk about many different things going from the situation of the terror forming project to the stay of politic which was happening between Earth and the Colonies, however Duo kept saying it was all bolitics.

Not long after food was done Faith resumed her place on the couch. The heating was now on and she was sharing a large baby blue blanket with Quatre, who was sat on the other side of the couch. She looked over the notes for the case. _Four dolls on the left, five in front and two to the right,_ thought Faith. She frowned, what did the numbers have to do with the map. She sighed gaining Quatre's attention.

"Something wrong Faith?" He asked softly as he always did. She looked up at him and she passed him her note on the mission along with a map outlining the whole town, exactly like the one they had seen in the shop. Quatre glanced over all the notes on the page. Faith as usual did everything in detail. She even tried working it out on the map. With no luck he added. She had placed lines on the map where the coordinates had been placed. But at the places where the lines intercepted with two different places; one back at Mountain More and the other in a small housing area. But the strange thing was that neither place gave very good clues. Where would this guy strike next? This was way too confusing. What kind of game was this guy playing? "This is crazy," Quatre muttered softly.

"Tell me about it," Faith said as she cuddled under the blanket more. "I can't figure out where he'll strike next." She sighed. "It's more like he's trying to challenge us..."

"And it's not like we have other problems." Faith and Quatre turned around to see Duo standing in the door way. Both looked confused at the braided ex-pilot. What did he mean by that? "That Edmands guy who's coming here has had his life put under threat already. And Heero feels that something bad is about to happen."

Quatre frowned, "what do you mean Duo?" Quatre watched as Duo walked over to the chair next to the couch. Duo crossed his legs under him and folded his arms.

"Heero has found out that something strange has been going on around the Preventers Agency lately," Duo began to explain. "Information has been getting out about what we do. Also much more like crimes and murders that are meant to be top secret."

"You mean like our mission?" Faith asked. Duo nodded agreeing with her statement. She sighed, "Then we need to get this finished as soon as we can." She turned back to Quatre and looked in his eyes, "I suggest we split up tomorrow again." Quatre and Duo nodded in agreement with her.

This crime was getting out of hand. Two people were killed and in their opinion that was two people too many. But working out his little games is difficult; could he possibly have help from inside the Preventers? If so then who is it? They would have to get rid of that person as soon as possible. But also what are the links between each victim? So far nothing has come up with them. Was it something deeper inside their pasts or was it just for amusement?

_

* * *

_

[1] = Comnambulating – aimlessly walking up and down while using a mobile telephone.

_So what next? Who's the next victim? Where is the next victim? What's Heero's bad feeling? Find out next time my Kawaii readers xx_


End file.
